Work is in progress on two phases of a hypothesis on the molecular mechanism of mechanochemical phenomena such as muscle contraction and protoplasmic streaming: 1. We are continuing with the measurement of the presence and quantity of epsilon(gamma-glutamyl) lysyl bonds in "relaxed" and "contracted" mechanochemical systems from muscle and from slime mold. We do this to test the hypothesis that calcium activated contraction involves the formation of these covalent bonds between the proteins involved in mechanochemical transductions. 2. We have begun to employ a new technique utilizing borohydride to identify the formation of phosphorylated acyl intermediates on proteins during the contraction process.